Al Sharpton (born 1954) is a Christian minister and highly controversial African American Democratic politician based in New York City with a penchant for baiting conservatives and embarrassing liberals. Searching for opportunities to inflame racial tensions, he became a national celebrity in the 1980s. Indeed, he has even been called a 'racial arsonist', who has led to the deaths of innocent people[Citation Needed].

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Career

Sharpton was licensed as a minister at the age of 9 as a Pentecostal and again as an adult as a Baptist. He has no formal religious training. As Sharpon's notoriety has increased he has spread out, running for President as a Democrat in 2004. Part of the joke of the late night talk show circuit was that Sharpton wanted his very first job to be President of the United States. Today he is a radio talk show host, guest TV speaker and liberal activist focused almost exclusively on racial issues.

Tawana Brawley hoax

In 1987, Sharpton spreads incendiary hate claiming Ms. Brawley, then a 15-year-old black girl was abducted, raped, and smeared with feces by a group of white men. Sharpton got the defendants to refuse to cooperate with the police that could have led to quick indictments and justice and instead called for grand jury investigations. The Tawana Brawley case was later determined to be a fraud, 7 months into a grand jury investigation and after a waste of taxpayer money and bitter racial strife.

Freddy's Fashion Mart

In 1995, in a dispute regarding a Jewish landlord raising the price of rent, Sharpton once again incites racial hatred. "We will not stand by and allow them to move this brother so that some white interloper can expand his business." Picketers are protesting the store spitting on customers. On Dec. 8, one of the protesters bursts into Freddy's, shoots four employees point-blank, then sets the store on fire. Seven employees die in the inferno. [1]

The events where somebody died after protesting, Sharpton claims he wasn't present. Though he was present to incite the crowds, shout for justice and flame the fan of hate. [2]
He ran for the Democratic nomination for president in 2004. Sharpton has owed the IRS back taxes for many years. Counting penalties it is currently 1.5 million dollars.[3]

Debates against Christopher Hitchens

Al Sharpton has defended the greatness of God against atheist writer Christopher Hitchens, who authored a book titled God Is Not Great and claimed religion ruins everything good.[4]

Quotes

When you see the racial disparities in the country that still exist. I`m talking about 2005 in terms of health care, in terms of economics, in terms of median income level, in terms of how we get bank loans or the criminal justice system. To not talk about it doesn`t mean we`re going to close the gap.[6]